In a sprawling, grievance-filled news conference,
President Trump blasts the ‘fake news’ media and
defends his early record, insisting: ‘I inherited a mess’ 10

Misdiagnosed?

GETTY IMAGES

A D.C. lab botched
Zika tests involving
pregnant women 6

Legal trouble?

FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Flynn told FBI he didn’t
talk about sanctions
with a Russian official 8

PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS (AP)

A harsh welcome
How ‘United Kingdom’
makes a powerful point
with a single scene 25
am

49 | 27

pm

2 | EXPRESS | 02.17.2017 | WEEKEND

KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH (AP)

eyeopeners

THERE, FIXED IT …

GLOBAL WARMING

CHEEKY

Because outdated game pieces
are why no one plays Monopoly

Next year’s Winter Fest will
feature bikinis and sand castles

Man’s tattoo is perfect for both
fans and haters of Tom Brady

You can still pass “Go” and collect $200 on the
Monopoly board, but you soon won’t be able to
do it with the thimble game piece. Voters have
rejected the thimble, an integral part of the
game since 1935. The move is part of a campaign
to select the next generation of game pieces;
hashtags and emojis, for example, could replace
cats and dogs. Hasbro Inc. will announce the
new set of eight tokens on March 19. (AP)

The snowiest town in Maryland is postponing its
Winter Fest because it’s too warm. The Greater
Oakland Business Association said Wednesday
that the event planned for this weekend has been
delayed a week because temperatures could hit
the mid-50s, disastrous for ice sculptures and ice
bowling in the western Maryland enclave. The
area averages 100 inches of snow each season
but has had only 54 inches so far this winter. (AP)

Several people visited Boston Barber & Tattoo
Co. on the day of the New England Patriots’
championship parade to get commemorative
tattoos. But only one man wanted a portrait of
Pats quarterback Tom Brady — on his left butt
cheek. After a job that took more than two hours,
the unidentified customer was pleased. “He was
proud of it and showed it off,” shop employee
Emily Arsenault told boston.com. (EXPRESS)

XPC3748 5x3

MESSAGE IN A MURAL:

In London on Thursday,
a pedestrian passes a
mural by street artist
Bambi. Labeled “Lie Lie
Land,” the mural portrays
British Prime Minister
Theresa May dancing with
President Trump in a riff
on the Oscar-nominated
movie “La La Land.”

weekend | 02.17.2017 | express | 3

page three

Acclaimed chef Lee
is coming to D.C.

Chef Edward Lee looks forward to
cooking at the second Succotash
he’s opening, in Penn Quarter.

I see a great opportunity to …”
The chef trails off, momentarily lost in thought.
“Selfishly,” he adds, “I want
to compete in a bigger market.”
“I’m not leaving Louisville.
We have a beautiful home. I’ve
got three restaurants here,” says
Lee, whose third establishment,
the Whiskey Dry, is expected to
open soon. “We’ll be back. My
daughter’s starting horseback

riding lessons in the spring.
We’re going to keep our identity
here, and we’re going to keep our
home and everything.”
But at the same time, the chef
can’t ignore the opportunities
that await him in the D.C. area,
where he and Knead Hospitality
+ Design opened Succotash at
National Harbor in 2015, the first
restaurant Lee opened outside of
Louisville. A second Succotash,
a larger and grander version
located in the historic Equitable
Bank Building in Penn Quarter, is
expected to open in June or July.
Lee says Washington, with its
many international influences,
will prepare him for the next
chapter in his career.
“I don’t think that my journey’s over. I don’t think I want
to be known as that guy that put
kimchi and collards together
and that’s it,” Lee said. “I think
there’s more out there. I think
there’s more to discover and
more to do. And to me, D.C.
is a perfect place for that. It
is so international. It is so on
the cutting edge.” Tim Carman
(The washington post)

newborns

Baby giraffe
born at zoo
in Maryland
The Maryland Zoo in
Baltimore has announced
the first birth of a giraffe
at the zoo in more than
20 years. Officials said
Thursday that the female
reticulated giraffe calf was
born Feb. 6 to 4-year-old
Juma and 11-year-old
Caesar. Zookeepers
described the calf as doing
well. Samantha Sander,
an associate veterinarian
at the zoo, said the baby
giraffe “looks pretty
perfect so far.” She’s 6
feet 1 inch tall and weighs
about 125 pounds. The
giraffe house will remain
closed while Juma and
the calf bond. (AP/twp)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
said President Trump made him
order meatloaf when they dined
together at the White House
this week. Christie and his wife,
Mary Pat, joined Trump at the
White House on Tuesday. The
Republican governor said while
hosting a radio show Thursday
that Trump pointed out the
menu and told people to get
whatever they want. Then he
said he and Christie were going
to have the meatloaf. (AP)

the washington post

the district
Edward Lee, the Brooklyn-born
chef who found his culinary voice
in Louisville, plans to move his
family and his base of operations
to D.C. this spring. He expects to
be a semi-permanent fixture on
the D.C. scene by May 1.
Lee cites many reasons for the
move — his affection for the East
Coast, the thriving restaurant
scene in D.C., his desire to cook
daily at the forthcoming Succotash in Penn Quarter — but
he’s also just ready for a change
of venue. For more than a dozen
years, Lee has been one of the
most recognizable chefs in Louisville, racking up an impressive
six James Beard Award nominations for his work at 610 Magnolia,
a modern Southern restaurant.
“Obviously the convenient
answer to this question is, I’m
moving to D.C. because of business,” Lee said. “Because I see a
great business opportunity and

Photo by Dan Dry

The Louisville cook
hopes to tap into D.C.’s
international influences

white house

Trump to Christie:
Try the meatloaf

national zoo

Dumplings served ahead
of Bao Bao’s big bye-bye
The Chinese Embassy served
farewell dumplings Thursday
at the National Zoo to mark the
departure Tuesday of the zoo’s
female giant panda, Bao Bao,
who is moving to China. The
dumplings, prepared by embassy
chefs, are traditionally served
when a loved one leaves home,
the zoo said. Bao Bao is going
to China as part of a breeding
program with the China Wildlife
Conservation Association. (TWP)

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4 | EXPRESS | 02.17.2017 | WEEKEND

local

Immigrants send a
message with strike

THE DISTRICT

Bowser lets paid family
leave bill take effect

Workers in D.C. and
across the U.S. protest
administration’s policy
SARAH L. VOISIN (THE WASHINGTON POST)

THE DISTRICT
Upscale D.C. restaurants canceled reservations. A ubiquitous
fast-casual chain closed due to
staffing shortages. And teachers
posted pictures on social media
of empty classrooms.
Immigrants across the country went on strike Thursday to
highlight their economic importance to a new administration
that has taken a hard-line stance
on immigration policies.
The strike was intended to span
across all businesses, but it’s the
restaurant industry — where
immigrants make up nearly 23
percent of the national workforce,
according to data compiled by
the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University — that seemed most affected.
Scores of restaurants nationwide shuttered for the day. A
handful of day-care centers and
D.C. charter schools also closed.
Leandra Gonzalez, a teacher
at D.C.’s Paul Public Charter
School, posted a picture of her
empty English as a Second Language class Thursday. She said
students are fearful of what the
new presidency means for them
and many of the students’ parents
asked beforehand if they could
participate in the strike.

PROTESTS

Other restaurants opted to stay
open with limited menus due to
staffing shortages. Many restaurants in D.C. still paid their employees if they decided to strike.
It’s unclear how many people
participated in the strike across
the country, but Clarissa Martinez-de-Castro, deputy vice
president at the National Council
of La Raza — a national Latino
advocacy organization — said the
protest sent a strong message.
“In a time when the administration doesn’t seem to see anything
positive about the immigrant
community,” Martinez said, “having small-business owners, chefs
and their workers challenge that
notion and give voice to the very
real ways immigrants contribute
to society is very significant.”

The organizers behind
the Women’s March on
Washington are calling for
a general strike next month
to show the country
what a day without
women would look like.
The strike is planned for
March 8. “In the spirit of
women and their allies
coming together for
love and liberation, we
offer A Day Without A
Woman,” a statement
from the organizers read.
“We ask: do businesses
support our communities,
or do they drain our
communities? Do they
strive for gender equity
or do they support the
policies and leaders that
perpetuate oppression?”
The “A Day Without a
Woman” strike follows the
“Day Without Immigrants”
strike Thursday in D.C. and
across the country.

PERRY STEIN (THE WASHINGTON POST)

(TWP)

Alfredo Castro, 29, of D.C., shouts Thursday during the “Day Without
Immigrants” march. Castro is from Peru but has been in the U.S. 16 years.

“I made sure the students understood that it’s not about skipping school and having the day
off,” Gonzalez said. “It’s about
having the school understand
what it would be like if they
weren’t there.”
In the Washington region,
where about 48 percent of people
working in the restaurant industry are foreign-born, dozens of
restaurants closed. Food service
in the U.S. Senate operated on reduced hours. Sweetgreen closed
its 20 or so fast-casual salad outposts in the region. And celebrity
chef Jose Andres — a Spanish
immigrant who is in a legal battle
with Trump after backing out of
a contract to open a restaurant
in D.C.’s Trump International
Hotel — closed a number of his
restaurants in the region.

Women plan
strike of their
own March 8

verbatim

“I have no idea why President Trump would
make up a story about me like he did today.”
REP. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, D-Md., swatting away President Trump’s claim during a wide-ranging news conference

on Thursday that the Baltimore Democrat wouldn’t meet with him after repeated calls from the White House

More than a half-million workers
in D.C. will get up to eight weeks
of paid family leave under a law
that Mayor Muriel Bowser has
allowed to take effect without
her signature. Bowser opposed
the paid family leave bill and
considered vetoing it, calling it a
burden on businesses because
it imposes a new tax. Bowser
said in a letter to the council
Wednesday that she won’t
veto the bill but hopes to work
with lawmakers to address its
shortcomings. The law still has to
survive a review by Congress. (AP)
FAIRFAX COUNTY

Police: 5 charged with
murder in death of teen
Police have charged five people
with murder in connection
with the death of a Maryland
teen who was reported missing
in December. Fairfax County
Police Chief Edwin Roessler said
Thursday that two adults — Jose
Ivan Castillo Rivas, 18, and
Wilmer A. Sanchez Serrano, 21
— and three 17-year-olds have
been charged with murder in the
death of Damaris Reyes Rivas, 15.
The medical examiner ruled that
Reyes Rivas died from trauma to
her upper body. Roessler said
police have video evidence, but
didn’t elaborate. Reyes Rivas’
body was found last weekend in
a Fairfax County park. (AP)
ALEXANDRIA

ICE agents arrest men
leaving church shelter
Some are questioning the way
Immigration and Customs
Enforcement officials are
handling arrests in Fairfax County
after several men were arrested
near a church shelter. Oscar
Ramirez told WRC-TV he left the
shelter in Alexandria on Feb. 8
when about a dozen ICE agents
surrounded him and other Latino
men. Ramirez said the agents
questioned them and scanned
their fingers. He said about six
Latino men were arrested and
taken away in vans. (AP)

FORMAL CASE NO. 1139, IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF THE POTOMAC ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY FOR AUTHORITY TO INCREASE EXISTING RETAIL RATES AND CHARGES FOR
ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SERVICE
The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (“Commission”) seeks
public input on the rate application submitted by the Potomac Electric Power Company (“Pepco”) requesting authority to increase existing distribution service rates and
charges for electric service in the District of Columbia. Pepco seeks a revenue increase
of $76.766 million. Formal Case No. 1139 is the formal case established to adjudicate
Pepco’s application. Pepco is the sole distributor of electric power to homes and businesses in the District. The Commission will only set Pepco’s distribution service rates
in this rate case and not the cost of electricity itself. A Public Notice regarding Pepco’s
application can be accessed online at www.dcpsc.org. A hard copy of the Public Notice
can be obtained by calling (202) 626-5150.
The Commission will convene four community hearings at the following locations
on the specified dates:
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Allen AME Church
2498 Alabama Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20020
6:00 p.m.

Those who wish to testify at the community hearings should contact the Commission Secretary by the close of business three business days prior to the date of the
hearing by calling (202) 626-5150. Representatives of organizations shall be permitted a
maximum of five minutes for oral presentations. Individuals shall be permitted a maximum
of three minutes for oral presentations. If an organization or an individual is unable to offer comments at the community hearings, written statements may be submitted to Brinda
Westbrook-Sedgwick, Commission Secretary, Public Service Commission of the District
of Columbia, 1333 H Street, NW, Suite 200, West Tower, Washington D.C. 20005, or
by email at psc-commissionsecretary@psc.dc.gov. Any person who is deaf or hearing
impaired, and cannot readily understand or communicate in spoken English, and persons
with disabilities who need special accommodations in order to participate in the hearing,
must contact the Commission Secretary by close of seven business days prior to the date
of the hearing. Persons who wish to testify in Spanish, Chinese, Amharic, or Korean
must also contact the Commission Secretary by close of business three business days
before the date of the hearing. The number to call to request special accommodations
and interpretation services is (202) 626-5150.

Of 409 exams sent for
retesting, three-fourths
for pregnant women
THE DISTRICT
District health officials fumbled
Zika testing for hundreds of
residents last year, including
two pregnant women who were
incorrectly told they did not have
the virus when in fact they were
infected.
The mistakes, made public
Thursday by city officials, have
prompted officials to redo more
than 400 tests for the Zika virus,
including for nearly 300 pregnant
women who may have mistakenly
been told they didn’t have the
mosquito-borne viral infection.
The tests involve specimens
collected from men and women
between July 14 and Dec. 14,
2016, that were analyzed by the
District’s public health lab.
The lab processed 409 Zika
tests, including 294 for pregnant
women. The specimens from the
pregnant women were sent to
the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention for retesting; the
remaining samples for 115 nonpregnant women and men have
been sent to other public health
labs approved by the CDC, said
Jenifer Smith, head of the D.C.
Department of Forensic Sciences.

JOHN MOORE (GETTY IMAGES)

Notice of Community Hearings
Public Input Sought on Pepco’s Rate Application

Zika tests botched
at D.C. health lab

There have been more than 5,000
Zika cases reported in the U.S.
mainland, including 31 in D.C.

So far, officials have received
62 results from the CDC: 60 were
negative but two tested positive
for Zika. The health-care providers for those two pregnant
women were notified Wednesday.
Officials declined to say whether
they have already given birth.
Officials said they expect to have
results for all retested specimens
within three to four weeks.
The District appears to be the
only jurisdiction in the country
with this problem.
“There doesn’t seem to be
the kind of widespread problem with [this test] at the other
public health labs,” said Wendi
Kuhnert-Tallman, who heads
the CDC’s Zika lab task force.
LENA H. SUN (THE WASHINGTON POST)

DULLES AIRPORT
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY VIA AP

Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia

Horse genitals seized
Customs and Border Protection agents
seized 42 pounds of horse meat,
including 13 pounds of horse genitals,
from two women arriving at Dulles
International Airport from Mongolia.
Neither woman was criminally charged
in the Jan. 29 seizure. Mongolian horse
meat is always prohibited because of
concerns about diseases. (AP)

Baltimore school officer acquitted in recorded slapping of student

WEEKEND | 02.17.2017 | EXPRESS | 7

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GOP unveils health outline
POLITICS
Top House Republicans unveiled
a rough sketch of a massive
health-care overhaul to rankand-file lawmakers Thursday,
but a lack of detail, cost estimates
and GOP unity left unresolved
the problem that’s plagued them
for years: What’s the party’s plan
and can Congress pass it?
At a closed-door meeting in the
Capitol basement, House Speaker
Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and other
party leaders described a broad
vision for voiding much of former President Barack Obama’s
2010 statute and replacing it with
conservative policies. It features
a revamped Medicaid program
for the poor, tax breaks to help
people pay doctors’ bills and
federally subsidized state pools
to assist those with costly medical
conditions in buying insurance.
Lawmakers called the ideas
options, and many were controversial. One being pushed by
Ryan and other leaders would
replace the tax increases in
Obama’s law with new levies
on the value of some employerprovided health plans — a political no-fly zone for Republicans

Trump recruits
pro team owners
for key positions
President Donald Trump,
who owned the New Jersey
Generals in the now-defunct
United States Football League
in the 1980s, has recruited
a handful of current owners
of pro sports franchises
for important roles in his
administration. (EXPRESS/TWP)

ALEX WONG (GETTY IMAGES)

Rough sketch signals
tough decisions ahead
for ACA replacement

House Speaker Paul Ryan and other leading House Republicans on
Thursday laid out their vision for repealing and replacing Obamacare.

averse to tax boosts.
The health-care outline was
aimed at giving Republicans
something to exhibit during next
week’s congressional recess, at
a time of boisterous town hall
meetings packed with supporters of Obama’s law.
Ryan told reporters that Republicans would introduce legislation voiding and replacing

Obama’s statute after Congress
returns in late February, but offered no specifics.
Many Republicans took an
upbeat tone after Thursday’s
meeting, with Rep. Peter King,
R-N.Y., saying, “We’re only 27
days into the new administration,
so we have time.”
But they have failed for seven
years to rally behind a substitute

Jeffrey Loria

Woody
Johnson

Miami Marlins

The New York
Post reported this
week that Trump
has signed off on
making Loria ambassador to France.
Loria, 76, is an art dealer who
previously owned the Montreal
Expos and is a GOP contributor. The
family of White House adviser Jared
Kushner is part of a group that has
discussed buying the Marlins. To
avoid a conflict, the group said it
would drop out if Loria is appointed.

New York Jets

Trump said in
January that he
wanted Johnson,
69, to be ambassador to Britain.
Johnson, a philanthropist who has
owned the team since 2000, has
not yet been confirmed. He has
no background in government but
has long been involved in politics.
Johnson was national finance
chairman for Trump rival Jeb Bush in
the Republican primaries.

Officials: Trump’s pick to replace Flynn as national security adviser turns down offer

plan, and there are no guarantees
of success in replacing a law that
has extended coverage to 20 million Americans.
“We’re not going to get out of
this overnight,” Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., said of the effort.
There are certainly clashes
ahead this time over crucial
specifics that could jeopardize
the entire effort. And lawmakers
said they were awaiting official
cost estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget
Office, which could ignite other
battles if the price tag is high.
Obama’s law levied $1.1 trillion in taxes over a decade to
finance its expanded coverage
to millions. GOP leaders said
some or all of those taxes could
be repealed, with the revenue replaced by a new tax on health care
that employees receive at work.
The tax penalties Obama’s law
levies on people who don’t buy
insurance would be abolished,
as would federal subsidies for
most people buying coverage
on the online exchanges the
statute established. They would
be replaced by tax credits for
people who don’t have job- or
government-provided health
coverage and tax-advantaged
health savings accounts. Republicans said decisions on amounts
have not been made. ALAN FRAM (AP)

Vincent Viola
Florida Panthers

The billionaire
West Point
graduate and
former infantry
officer was chosen by Trump in
December to be secretary of the
Army. But Viola, who founded
an electronic-trading firm before
buying an NHL team, withdrew from
consideration for the job Feb. 4. He
said it was too difficult to divest his
holdings to meet Pentagon conflictof-interest requirements.

Flynn told FBI
sanctions were
not discussed
NATIONAL SECURITY
Former national security adviser
Michael Flynn denied to FBI
agents in an interview last
month that he had discussed
U.S. sanctions against Russia
with that country’s ambassador
to the U.S. before President
Trump took office, contradicting
the contents of intercepted
communications collected by
intelligence agencies, current
and former U.S. officials said.
The Jan. 24 interview
potentially puts Flynn in legal
jeopardy, as lying to the FBI is
a felony, but any decision to
prosecute would ultimately lie
with the Justice Department.
Some officials said bringing a
case could prove difficult in part
because it may attempt to parse
the definition of sanctions.
Trump asked for Flynn’s
resignation Monday following
reports that revealed Flynn had
misled Vice President Pence in
denying the substance of the call.
Senior intelligence officials
who have reviewed the phone
call thought Flynn’s statements
to the Russian ambassador
were inappropriate, if not illegal,
because he suggested that the
Kremlin could expect a reprieve
from the sanctions.
Nonetheless, officials knew
that seeking a case against Flynn
for violating an obscure 1799
statute known as the Logan Act
— which bars private citizens from
interfering in diplomatic disputes
— would be legally and political
daunting. SARI HORWITZ AND ADAM
ENTOUS (THE WASHINGTON POST)

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
Malaysian authorities announced
two more arrests Thursday in
the death of the North Korean
leader’s half brother, whose apparent assassination this week
unleashed a wave of speculation: a pair of female assailants,
a broad-daylight killing and a
dictator-sibling out for blood.
Investigators were still piecing together details of the case,
including the assumption that
North Korean leader Kim Jong
Un dispatched a hit squad to
kill his estranged half brother,
Kim Jong Nam. He had lived
abroad for years, aware he was
a hunted man.
Three suspects — two women
and a man — were arrested separately Wednesday and Thursday.
The women were identified using
surveillance videos from Kuala
Lumpur International Airport,
where Kim Jong Nam, 45 or 46,
suddenly fell ill Monday morning.
Malaysian officials said he
died on the way to a hospital
after telling medical workers
at the airport that he had been
sprayed with a chemical.
Multiple South Korean media
reports said two women believed
to be North Korean agents killed
him with some kind of poison
before fleeing in a taxi.
One of the female suspects had

KYODO NEWS VIA AP

Autopsy completed
despite objections
from North Korea

Kim Jong Nam, half brother of North Korea’s leader, died Monday.

Vietnamese travel documents
and was picked up Wednesday
at the budget terminal of the
airport, the same place where
the attack took place. The other
woman held an Indonesian passport and was arrested Thursday.
Police said they were working to determine if the IDs were
genuine. It was not immediately
clear if the women were believed
to be the actual assassins.
Indonesian diplomats met
with the second suspect and
confirmed she is an Indonesian
citizen, officials said. Authorities
identified her as Siti Aisyah, 25.
Police also said they had detained a Malaysian man believed

to be the boyfriend of the Indonesian suspect on Thursday.
Medical workers completed
an autopsy on Kim Jong Nam,
but the results have not been
released. The findings could
reveal whether he was poisoned.
North Korea objected to the
autopsy but Malaysia went ahead
with it anyway because the North
did not submit a formal protest.
The National Intelligence
Service said North Korea had
been trying for five years to
kill Kim Jong Nam, and that he
had sent a letter to Kim Jong Un
in April 2012, begging for the
lives of himself and his family.

Most consumers don’t
know exactly what “sell
by” labels mean. But
after 40 years of letting
us guess, the grocery
industry is moving to
end the confusion.
On Wednesday, the
Food Marketing
Institute and the
Grocery Manufacturers
Association, the two
largest such trade groups,
announced that they’ve
adopted standardized,
voluntary regulations
to clarify what product
date labels mean.
Manufacturers now use
any of 10 label phrases
— from “expires on” to
“better if used by” — but
will be urged to use only
“Use By” and “Best If
Used By.” Experts say
this should reduce the
amount of food tossed
prematurely. (TWP)

EILEEN NG (AP)

‘DE-EXTINCTION’

Coming soon: A woolly mammoth revival

The woolly mammoth
has been extinct for 4,000 years, but it might make a comeback in 2019. A Harvard scientist leading
the “de-extinction” effort said this week that his team is a couple of years away from creating a hybrid
embryo of mammoth traits that would be programmed into an Asian elephant, The Guardian reported.
The creature would be part elephant, with small ears; long, shaggy hair; and cold-adapted blood. (EXPRESS)

Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visits Turkey today for talks on recapturing Raqqa from ISIS

China drug ban
helps U.S. fight
opioid epidemic
HEALTH
So deadly it’s considered a
terrorist threat, carfentanil has
been legal in China — until now.
Beijing is banning carfentanil and
three similar drugs as of March 1,
China’s Ministry of Public Security
said Thursday, closing a major
regulatory loophole in the fight to
end America’s opioid epidemic.
“It shows China’s attitude as a
responsible big country,” said Yu
Haibin, the director of the Office
of the National Narcotics Control
Committee. “It will be a strong
deterrent.”
China said the March 1 ban will
also apply to carfentanil’s lesspotent cousins furanyl fentanyl,
acryl fentanyl and valeryl fentanyl.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration called China’s
move a potential “game-changer”
that is likely to have a big impact
in the U.S., where opioid demand
has driven the proliferation of a
new class of deadly drugs.
Legally used as an anesthetic
for large animals, carfentanil
burst into the North American
drug supply last summer, causing
hundreds of unsuspecting drug
users to overdose. The DEA
confirmed more than 400
seizures of carfentanil across
eight U.S. states from July
through October.
So lethal that an amount
smaller than a poppy seed
can kill a person, carfentanil
was researched for years as
a chemical weapon and used
by Russian forces to subdue
Chechen separatists at a Moscow
theater in 2002. ERIKA KINETZ (AP)

Roadside bomb kills at least 12 civilians in Afghanistan

10 | EXPRESS | 02.17.2017 | WEEKEND

nation+world

Trump airs grievances
POLITICS

Trump wants billionaire
to review intelligence
President Trump is considering
tapping New York financier
Stephen A. Feinberg to lead a
broad review of U.S. intelligence
agencies, but said Thursday
that such a move might not be
necessary once his team is fully in
place. Feinberg — a co-founder of
Cerberus Capital Management,
a firm with $30 billion in
investments — is worth about
$1.27 billion, according to Forbes.
Earlier Thursday, administration
officials said an arrangement
with Feinberg had not been
finalized, but they characterized
him as someone Trump greatly
respects and admires. (TWP/AP)

AP PHOTOS

President Trump said his administration is “running like a fine-tuned machine,” despite reports of turbulence.

about whether his campaign had
contact with Russia and grew
testy as reporters pushed him
for a yes-or-no answer.
He said he certainly hadn’t and
that he was not aware of such
contacts during the campaign.
The news conference was ostensibly billed as a chance for
Trump to announce his new pick
to head the Labor Department,
Alexander Acosta, after Andrew Puzder, his original choice,
withdrew from consideration
Wednesday amid mounting opposition on Capitol Hill. But for one
hour and 17 minutes, the president took aim at everything from
“illegal immigrant violence” to
the “criminal leaks” within his
intelligence community.
During the news conference,

Trumps asks reporter
to set up CBC meeting
April Ryan of American Urban Radio
Networks asked President Trump if
he would include the Congressional
Black Caucus in discussions about
urban policy. Trump replied, “Tell
you what, do you want to set up
the meeting? … Are they friends
of yours?” Ryan, who is black,
pointed out that she is a journalist
and that’s not her role. Trump
went on to say that he had been
trying to set up a meeting with Rep.
Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., a CBC
member, but claimed Cummings
had balked at following through. The
CBC later tweeted its side: “Hi, @
realDonaldTrump. We’re the CBC. We
sent you a letter on January 19, but
you never wrote us back. Sad!” (TWP)

In first meeting with Russian foreign minister, Rex Tillerson urges Russia to pull back in eastern Ukraine

Trump alternated between showering the media with scorn and
taking a more playful tone.
Trump repeatedly lambasted
the “fake news” media, while
promoting some dubious claims
and fake news of his own.
Pressed on his incorrect assertion that he had the largest margin
of victory in the electoral college
since President Ronald Reagan,
Trump blamed faulty facts.
“I was given that information,”
he said. “Well, I don’t know, I was
given that information.”
Yet at one point, Trump insisted he was enjoying himself.
“I’m not ranting and raving — I love this,” he said. “I’m
having a good time doing this.”
A S H L E Y PA R K ER A N D J O H N WA G N ER
(THE WASHINGTON POST)

AP

POLITICS
President Trump on Thursday
aired his grievances against the
news media, the intelligence community and his detractors generally in a sprawling, stream-ofconsciousness news conference.
“To be honest, I inherited a
mess,” Trump said. “It’s a mess.
At home and abroad, a mess.”
Yet moments later, the president seemed to acknowledge the
widespread reports of turbulence
and upheaval emanating out of his
West Wing, only to claim that his
White House — which so far has
been marred by staff infighting,
a controversial travel ban, false
statements and myriad leaks —
was operating seamlessly.
“I turn on the TV, open the
newspapers and I see stories of
chaos — chaos,” he said in news
conference that lasted more than
an hour and was at times rambling and combative. “Yet it is the
exact opposite. This administration is running like a fine-tuned
machine, despite the fact that I
can’t get my Cabinet approved.”
Asked about recent reports
that Michael Flynn, his former
national security adviser who
resigned Monday evening, had
improperly discussed Russian
sanctions with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. before Trump
was sworn in, the president defended Flynn as a “fine person,”
saying he had done nothing wrong
in engaging the Russian envoy.
But, Trump said, Flynn had
erred by misleading government
officials, including Vice President
Pence, about his conversations,
which is why the president ultimately demanded his resignation.
“He didn’t tell the vice president of the United States the
facts,” Trump said. “And then
he didn’t remember. And that
just wasn’t acceptable to me.”
Trump was asked several times

AP

President says ‘I inherited a mess’ and blasts media at combative news conference

POLITICS

Trump names Acosta
as new labor nomination
President Trump on Thursday
named Florida International
University law school dean
Alexander Acosta as his new
choice for labor secretary — a
day after Andrew Puzder
abruptly withdrew from
consideration. If confirmed
by the Senate, Acosta would
be the first Hispanic member
of Trump’s Cabinet. Acosta
has won unanimous Senate
confirmation three times: to
a seat on the National Labor
Relations Board, as the head
of the Justice Department’s
Civil Rights Division and as U.S.
attorney in Miami. (AP)

Saudi-led coalition to probe Yemen funeral airstrike that killed 7

WEEKEND | 02.17.2017 | EXPRESS | 11

nation+world
Shiite shrine targeted
in Pakistan’s deadliest
attack since late 2014
SEHWAN, PAKISTAN
An Islamic State suicide bomber
struck inside a famed shrine in
southern Pakistan on Thursday,
killing at least 75 people in the
deadliest attack in the country
in more than two years.
The bomber entered the main
hall of the shrine of Lal Shahbaz
Qalandar in Sehwan and detonated his payload amid dozens

NEW JERSEY

Judge: There is probable
cause to charge Christie

of worshippers, according to
three security officials, who
said at least 20 women and nine
children were among the dead.
Fazal Palejo, a senior health
official in Sindh province, confirmed the toll.
The Islamic State group
claimed the attack in a statement
circulated by its Aamaq news
agency, saying it had targeted a
“Shiite gathering.”
Raja Somro, who witnessed the
attack, told a local TV network
that hundreds of people were
performing a spiritual dance

known as the Dhamal when the
bomber struck.
“I saw bodies everywhere. I
saw bodies of women and children,” he said.
Local TV showed graphic
footage of the aftermath of the
blast, with wounded worshippers
crying out for help and the floors
covered with shoes, blood and
body parts.
Ghazanfar Shah, the custodian
of the site, said security was lax
at the shrine, which is entered
through two gold-plated doors.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

SHAKIL ADIL (AP)

ISIS bombing kills 75 worshippers

Pakistani students light candles to
condemn an ISIS attack that killed
dozens and wounded hundreds.

DIL JAWAD AND MUNIR AHMED (AP)

Car bomb at auto dealership kills at least 55 in Baghdad

New Jersey Municipal Court Judge
Roy McGeady ruled for the second
time that a criminal complaint
against Gov. Chris Christie can go
forward, saying Thursday that
evidence establishes the Republican
had reason to believe lane closings
at the George Washington Bridge in
2013 were more than just a routine
traffic study and failed to take
action to stop it. He said there was
probable cause to charge Christie
with official misconduct for failing
to act to stop the lane closures and
subsequent gridlock. (AP)

COMFY DECISION

ALI ABDUL HASSAN (AP)

Court: Snuggies
are not clothes

MIDDLE EAST

UN and Arab leaders
endorse 2-state solution
The United Nations and the Arab
League on Thursday issued a
joint statement in support of the
establishment of a Palestinian
state. The statement came a
day after President Trump and
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu refused to endorse the
two-state solution as the preferred
outcome of peace talks. U.S.
Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley
then said Thursday that the U.S.
absolutely supports a two-state
solution, appearing to backpedal
on Trump’s comments. (AP)

vowed that security forces would
track down the perpetrators of
the attack.
“Each drop of the nation’s
blood shall be avenged, and
avenged immediately,” Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Qamar
Javed Bajwa, said in a statement.
“No more restraint for anyone.”
Thursday’s attack was the
deadliest in Pakistan since
Dec. 16, 2014, when militants
assaulted an army-run school
in Peshawar, killing 154 people, mostly schoolchildren.

BAGHDAD | Passers-by look at the wreckage Thursday after a car bomb exploded at an auto dealership, killing
at least 55 people and wounding more than 60, Iraqi officials said. The Islamic State group claimed the attack
against the mainly Shiite al-Bayaa neighborhood. Four other attacks killed eight people Thursday in Baghdad.

Although they have sleeves,
Snuggies are not clothes, the
U.S. Court of International
Trade ruled recently. The
court decided in favor of
Snuggies, whose makers
have been fighting to
qualify as a blanket, Quartz
reported, because blankets
have a lower import duty
than apparel. (EXPRESS)

NEW LOOK FOR CROSSING SIGNALS

Helping ‘smartphone zombies’ in traffic

The Dutch town of
Bodegraven-Reeuwijk, south of Amsterdam, is trying a pilot program to keep “smartphone zombies”
from getting hurt while they walk the streets with their eyes glued to their screens. Illuminated LED
strips installed in the pavement at several intersections change colors in sync with the traffic lights,
so pedestrians can see “green for go” without looking up from their favorite app. (THE WASHINGTON POST)

Max Scherzer’s
knuckle is almost
healed, but he was
limited in the Nats’
workout Thursday.

NBA All-Star
weekend

PATRICK SMITH (GETTY IMAGES)

Knuckle
won’t
play ball
Max Scherzer is in doubt for opening day “It’d be unfair
while he recovers from a stress fracture for me to even
NATIONALS
The knuckle at the base of
Max Scherzer’s right ring finger became the most analyzed
joint in the Nationals’ clubhouse
Thursday, knocking Stephen
Strasburg’s right elbow out of the
spotlight and delivering an unexpected blow to the early-season
stability of the team’s rotation.
The most recent MRI results
of Scherzer’s finger showed the
stress fracture that developed
late last season is, as he put it,
“essentially healed.” But the
reigning NL Cy Young Award
winner was not ready to pitch
off a mound during the first official workout of the spring in
West Palm Beach, Fla.
He might not be ready for
opening day, either.

Scherzer on Thursday was
relegated to a high-intensity
game of catch with rehabbing
lefty Tim Collins — the only
other pitcher in camp who cannot participate fully.
As an uninhibited Strasburg
threw change-ups and sliders
and honed two-seam fastballs,
Scherzer was heartened by the
fact that he could throw a baseball. He spent the winter throwing tennis and lacrosse balls to
keep his arm in shape, because
the baseball was too big for his
injured finger to grip.
He modified his grip again
Thursday.
“Right now it’s just getting
back out there, throwing a
baseball and getting my arm in
shape,” Scherzer said.

THREE
POINTERS

project or even
talk about that.”
MAX SCHERZER, on starting for
the Nationals on opening day. The
reigning National League Cy Young
winner said he has no idea how
much he’ll be able to do by April 3.

He first felt trouble after
a start against the Orioles on
Aug. 25. Doctors diagnosed him
with a finger sprain. Four days
later, when he warmed up ahead
of his next start, Scherzer found
he could pitch through the pain.
With the Nationals headed to the
playoffs, he decided to do so. Put
under more pressure, the sprain
turned into a stress fracture.
“That’s just the cost of doing
business,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer expected the sprain
to heal with regular rest in the
offseason. But the symptoms
didn’t improve by December,
when another MRI revealed the
fracture. A month later, it still
hadn’t healed, and he backed out
of the World Baseball Classic.
Until Scherzer can grip a baseball properly, he cannot resume
his usual spring training regimen. Until he can start throwing
like he normally does, he can’t
build the arm strength he needs.
Scherzer said he’s prepared for
an expedited throwing program,
which could get him ready for
opening day April 3. A slow-moving program, started a week from
now, would probably still have
him ready sometime in April.
If Scherzer can’t pitch by opening day, Strasburg — who threw
for 10 minutes in the bullpen —
would likely assume those duties.

New Orleans turns into
a basketball town this
weekend as the Big
Easy plays host to the
NBA extravaganza.
Here are three events
worth your time on
all three days of the
showcase. (EXPRESS)

3
Rising stars challenge
9 p.m. Friday, TNT

Karl-Anthony Towns leads a
team of 10 first- and secondyear players from the U.S.
against a group of 10 players
from around the world.

2
All-Star Saturday Night
8 p.m. Saturday, TNT

Wizards guard John Wall
will compete in the skills
challenge, which is followed
by the 3-point contest and
the slam dunk contest.

1
66th All-Star Game
8 p.m. Sunday, TNT

Wall is a reserve for the East,
but keep your eye on West
backup Russell Westbrook,
who’s been named MVP of
the past two All-Star Games.

CHELSEA JANES (THE WASHINGTON POST)

verbatim

“If they reward winning, then I don’t understand how
the decision was made. It was kind of weird to me.”
WIZARDS GUARD BRADLEY BEAL, to The Washington Post about being passed over for the All-Star Game. Beal said
Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who replaces Kevin Love, is a “great player.” New York is 23-34; Washington is 33-21.

Melo Trimble
scored a careerhigh 32 points at
Northwestern by
driving at will.

PRO WRESTLER SAM ADONIS,

telling The Washington Post
about the reaction he gets
from the crowds at his Lucha
Libre matches in Mexico City.
In November, Adonis began
cultivating a persona as a
President Trump supporter,
waving a flag with the face of the
politician who pledged during his
campaign that he would make
Mexico pay for a border wall.
NAM Y. HUH (AP)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The only time Maryland guard
Melo Trimble didn’t have an
answer Wednesday night came
after he poured in a careerhigh 32 points in a 74-64 win at
Northwestern.
A reporter asked him why
he had historically played so
well against the Wildcats, and
Trimble paused and shook his
head. He’s averaged 23 points in
three victories, but the first two
performances weren’t the same
as Wednesday night.
That masterpiece stood alone.
So it wasn’t surprising that,
before Maryland (22-4, 10-3 Big
Ten) visits Wisconsin (21-4, 10-2)
on Sunday (1 p.m., CBS), Trimble
shrugged off any thought of what
happened there a year ago, when
he nailed a 25-foot 3-pointer to
beat the Badgers on their home
court.
Sunday promises to bring the
biggest game yet for the Terrapins this season, but Trimble isn’t
relying on past success against
Wisconsin for confidence.
“Every team is going to be different because they’re going to
have a different scouting report
on you,” Trimble said. “I don’t
know who’s going to guard me,
I don’t know how the game is going to turn out, but I know we’re
going to play our best.”

verbatim

With swagger bolstered by
cutting his hair and shaving his
goatee, Trimble pulled himself
out of his most difficult shooting
slump of the season Wednesday.
He went 12-for-17 from the field
and 4-of-5 on 3-pointers, but did
most of his damage in the lane.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon had taken stock of the buzz
circulating around Northwestern’s program this week, which
only heightened as the Wildcats

inched closer to their first NCAA
Tournament berth with a win
over Wisconsin last Sunday.
With its win Wednesday, Maryland tightened the race for the
regular-season Big Ten title,
moving into a tie with Purdue
(21-5, 10-3) for second place.
The Terps entered Thursday
a half-game behind Wisconsin, and a win Sunday could put
them atop the league standings.
ROMAN STUBBS (THE WASHINGTON POST)

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

Deflategate book, movie in the works

According to Deadline Hollywood,
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be the subject of a book and movie project. Paul Tamasy and Eric
Johnson, who were nominated for an Oscar for writing “The Fighter,” will partner with best-selling author
Casey Sherman and journalist Dave Wedge, who wrote a book that supplied material for the “Patriots Day”
film about the Boston Marathon bombing. The project will center on Deflategate and Super Bowl LI. (EXPRESS)

Report: Romo
expects release
from Cowboys
Cowboys QB Tony Romo, who
was unable reclaim his starting
job from rookie Dak Prescott,
expects to be released by Dallas
rather than traded, ESPN’s Ed
Werder reported Thursday.
Romo, who will turn 37 in April,
has played in only five games over
the last two seasons because of
injures. But Werder said Romo
believes he can play two or three
more years.
Given the premium the NFL
puts on passers, Romo will draw
interest, but his contract could
be a stumbling block.
Including the 2017 season,
Romo has three years left on
his deal after signing a six-year
extension worth $108 million in
2013. That came with $55 million
guaranteed. According to the
Star-Telegram, he has a 2017 cap
number of $24.7 million, and
the team would save $5.1 million
in cap space if Romo is traded
or released before June 2. He
would still count $19.6 million
against the cap next season.
The Cowboys could also
release him and designate him as
a post-June 1 cut, spreading the
cap hit over 2017 ($10.7 million)
and 2018 ($8.9 million).
In a radio appearance this
week, Dallas owner Jerry Jones
deflected questions about Romo.
“It’s no secret that I just think
so much of him as a person and
think so much of him as a player.
... I don’t know how ultimately
we will resolve this,” Jones said.
CINDY BOREN

Look before you lease
Renters should know it takes more than
a little cash to move into a new apartment
APARTMENT HUNTING
So, you recently graduated from
college and snagged your first
real job. And after living with
your parents for a few months
and saving a little money, you’re
about to strike out on your own
and find your first apartment.
But are you really ready to sign
a lease? Here’s what you need to
know first.

Be honest about your needs
You should have a list of mandatory features of your new home
— among them, perhaps, walking
distance to the Metro, a parking
spot, laundry on the premises,
the number of bedrooms you
need and a dishwasher. Make
a list of items you don’t need,
but would consider a bonus to
have: a pet-friendly building, a
balcony, an on-site fitness center
and wood floors, perhaps. Determine what you can and cannot
be flexible on.
Use areas where you can be
flexible to your advantage: If
you’re not worried about alone

time, find a roommate, for example. Consider moving farther
from the city for more space.
And if you plan to stay a while,
you could negotiate a lower rent
with a lease term longer than
one year.

Be ready to move fast
When you find the rental you
like best, you should have all the
information you will need for an
application at your fingertips.
Have up to two months’ rent for
the security deposit and first
month’s rent. You should also
be prepared with application
fees, which can range from $25
to $100 per adult applicant. If
you have no credit history, you
may need to ask a parent or a
relative to act as a guarantor
on the lease. Know who that
person is and have them ready
to submit an application with
you as a co-applicant. Also have
on hand a copy of current pay
stubs or an offer letter from
your employer stating your
salary, and one or two personal

Read, then sign
Here are some questions you may
not think to ask before signing a
new lease. N.S.S.
What are the rules? Many
properties will have regulations on
noise control, bringing pets into
elevators, using a shared laundry
room or putting holes in the walls.
Will the locks be changed? It’s
a good idea to change the locks
before a new tenant moves in. If
your landlord isn’t willing to do it, it’s
inexpensive to do so with his or her
permission.
How will rent increases be made?
If you were offered a rent special,
you should find out whether the
rent increase will be based on a
percentage of the market rent at
the time or the current rent you are
paying. The difference can add up to
several hundred dollars.

references available for a landlord to contact.

Watch out for rental scams
Make sure that if you are considering renting from an independent landlord, you can confirm

that the person you are dealing
with is the owner of the home or
is someone authorized to work
on the owner’s behalf to get the
home rented. If you cannot personally view the home you are
considering renting, make sure
a friend or a family member can
see it on your behalf.

Know what’s in your lease
Once you are approved to move
forward on the lease, take time
to review it carefully. Know what
you are responsible for concerning maintenance and utilities. If
you are renting a single-family
house or rowhouse, you will most
likely be responsible for tending
to the yard and cleaning the gutters. Make sure there is an emergency number in case something
breaks and needs to be fixed, like
the heating or water units. Take
note of how much notice your
landlord will give you before
increasing the rent, entering the
property or putting it on the market when your lease has ended.
Nancy Simmons Starrs is
founder and president of
Apartment Detectives, an area
apartment search service.

The Bozzuto Group
and nonprofit
developer Wesley
Housing Development
Corporation have
opened Union on
Queen, a 193-unit
apartment community
in Arlington. Forty
percent of the
building’s units
are designated for
households earning
50 or 60 percent of
area median income,
which is $108,600. The
apartments include
studio, one-, two- and
three-bedroom units.
They have open floor
plans, a balcony or
terrace, a washer and
dryer, walk-in closets
and keyless entry.
Market-rate rents
range from $2,050 for
a studio to $3,440 for
a two-bedroom unit.
Three-bedroom units
are available only as
affordable housing
units, with rent based
on renters’ income.
Building amenities
include bike storage,
a fitness center and
a rooftop deck with a
coffee bar and kitchen.
MICHELE LERNER
(THE WASHINGTON POST)

• Homes designed for city living
• Premium views of DC in a historic area
• iPad® bar, business center with Macs, lounge
• On-site parking, bike and storage units
• Shops and restaurants right downstairs

City Convenience with Suburban Charm
• Short distance to schools & shopping
• Convenient to the Huntington Metro
• Beautiful landscaping & on-site pool
• Same day approval
• Close to I-495 & Old Town Alexandria

Don’t spend too much time searching for an apartment.
Contact one of the great locations listed above directly
or contact our Apartment Locators Service and ﬁnd out
what Southern Management has to offer.

1.800.999.RENT (7368)

movies
movies
24 | EXPRESS | 02.17.2017 | WEEKEND

ALSO
OPENING

‘The Great Wall’

Losing all your senses
Absent of logic, ‘A Cure for Wellness’ will make you feel invigorated — and confused
FILM REVIEW
At nearly 2½ hours long, “A Cure
for Wellness” may qualify as the
world’s longest, most agonizing
teaser.
For most of its duration, the
gorgeously disturbing new film
by Gore Verbinski adamantly
refuses to spill its secrets, which
continue to mount up behind a
dam of mystery so maddeningly
impenetrable that it’s a wonder
people don’t walk out before the
climax.
The fact that most of them will
not is because, in all likelihood,
of Verbinski’s mastery of his
medium: in this case, a hybrid
stew of psychological thriller
and body horror. When the dam
finally does burst, it’s like a swollen boil suddenly disgorging its

contents — surprising, messy
and painful, but also a huge
relief.
The film is set in a remote
Swiss sanitarium, where a highpowered American financier
(Harry Groener) has inexplicably overstayed his two-week
spa vacation, prompting one of
his underlings (Dane DeHaan)
to be sent from New York to
retrieve him. When that underling, named Lockhart, arrives,
he discovers a facility staffed
by Alpine automatons.
Lockhart’s plans to grab his
boss and head home go awry
when he breaks his leg, forcing
him to recover in what looks like
a cross between an early-20thcentury nursing home and
Dracula’s castle. All the patients

are superannuated, receiving
unspecified “treatments” in a
locked wing. Lockhart himself
is plagued by hallucinations (or
are they?). Despite treatment
appearing to consist of nothing
more than mineral water, Lockhart descends into a deep fog of
befuddlement, even though he
eventually, like all the others,

starts to say that he never felt
better. Way late in the movie,
by the time most thrillers have
already begun parceling out a
morsel or two of resolution, you
will still be scratching your head
and wondering just what in God’s
name is going on.
Holding that tension for so
long is a tall order. Not to mention that its setup is starved of
logic, the film’s vital oxygen.
The problem with “Wellness”
is not the temptation to throw
in the towel before the finale,
or even the finale itself. When
the climax does come, it arrives
with a bracing blast of campy absurdity so flamboyantly deviant
that it glows with a kind of perverse brilliance. MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN
(THE WASHINGTON POST)

TELEVISION

The truest ‘American Horror Story,’ if there is one

Ryan Murphy,
showrunner of FX’s “American Horror Story,” announced the theme of the series’ forthcoming
Season 7 on Wednesday’s “Watch What Happens Live.” “I don’t have a title, but the season we begin
shooting in June is going to be about the election that we just went through,” he told host Andy
Cohen. When Cohen asked if Donald Trump will be in it, Murphy responded: “Uh, maybe.” (EXPRESS)

Dane DeHaan’s
Lockhart loses his
mind in “A Cure for
Wellness” and also,
it seems, his tooth.

“The Great Wall” arrives with
a lot at stake, being the most
pricey co-production ever
filmed in China. In it, Matt
Damon plays a mercenary
who ends up defending the
Great Wall of China against a
bunch of monsters. Cut from
the same fantastical cloth
as “The Lord of the Rings”
and “Game of Thrones,” the
movie might have been epic
and original, but instead
plays out like a re-tread of
every effects-heavy film.
ANN HORNADAY (TWP)

‘Fist Fight’
R, 91 min.

The jokes in “Fist Fight”
— a comedy about a beef
between two feuding high
school teachers played
by Charlie Day and Ice
Cube — have all the wit of a
punch-drunk palooka. While
it tries to show the same
brand of gleeful depravity
of “It’s Always Sunny in
Philadelphia,” the film only
ever manages to achieve
irritation with the status quo.
MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN (TWP)

Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show “Chelsea” to have weekly format in Season 2

WEEKEND | 02.17.2017 | EXPRESS | 25

movies

FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Things are a lot
easier for Ruth
and Seretse when
they’re alone.

KRISTEN PAGE-KIRBY | THE REELIST

The Other woman:
She’s unwelcome,
but not a victim
I was 23 before
I was the only
white person in
a room. I was
teaching English at a private
high school on the West Side
of Chicago, one with a student
body that was 100 percent African-American. In that dusty,
drafty classroom, I was not just
a minority, but an only. Still,
though I was outnumbered, I
outranked the students, and we
all knew it. I was the Other, but
it was my turf.
I thought of that during “A
United Kingdom,” the factbased story of Seretse and
Ruth Khama (David Oyelowo
and Rosamund Pike). He is the
king of what would become Botswana; she is a British woman
who married him in 1948 and
came with him to Africa when
it became time for him to rule.
She is, unsurprisingly, the only
white person in the village. Her
“welcome” consists in part of
Seretse’s sister Naledi (Terry

Pheto) basically telling her
to go home, as she is actively
unwanted by everyone except
Seretse. Ruth is clearly surprised; she assumed that, if she
were nice enough, people would
like her, despite her skin color.
Naledi knows that this is beyond skin; Ruth is also a symbol
of centuries of British colonialism. The scene is painful and
brutal. What it isn’t is racist.
And, no, it’s not “reverse racist,” either. That’s not a thing.
Racism is different than
bigotry. Bigotry is devaluing
someone because of their
race or gender or any other

quality that should be marked
as “irrelevant” on the “Is this
a person?” scale. Racism is
codifying that bigotry into
law and culture so strongly
that it becomes embedded
into a broader consciousness
so deeply that, even when the
overt symbols of racism have
fallen away, the implicit bias
remains. You can’t see any
more Jim Crow-era “whites
only” signs, but you can see
their shadows if you know
where to look. Ruth, the only
white person for miles, isn’t a
victim of racism when she’s
told the color of her skin and
the baggage of her culture
mean she needs to leave — precisely because she CAN leave.
The nature of oppression is
that you can’t escape it without
the substantial likelihood
of grave loss; if fleeing only
costs you a plane ticket back to
England, you’re not oppressed.
You’re uncomfortable.
Ruth, in that scene, has a
right to be uncomfortable.
Being on the receiving end of
bigotry, as she is, is neither
pleasant nor deserved. But
Ruth is hurt by the actions of
individuals, not a subjugating
system that’s a blend of politics, culture, history and class.
Her experience was hurtful,
but it wasn’t racism.
Read Kristen’s previous columns
at washingtonpost.com/thereelist

Keith Urban leads with seven Academy of Country Music Awards nods, including entertainer of the year

THEATER

FILM

Sara Bareilles to star in her
Broadway show ‘Waitress’

Update on ‘Love Actually’
characters to air on TV

Sara Bareilles, who composed
the songs for Broadway show
“Waitress,” will soon star in the
musical herself. The singersongwriter of “Brave” and “Love
Song” will make her Broadway
acting debut on March 31 in the
lead role of Jenna Hunterson. She’ll
be in the show for 10 weeks until
June 11. Bareilles already released
her versions of the musical’s songs
with “What’s Inside: Songs From
Waitress,” including the standout
single “She Used to Be Mine.” (AP)

Viewers will find out what
happened to the “Love Actually”
characters thanks to Richard
Curtis, the writer-director of the
beloved 2003 feature, who has
created a 10-minute reunion film
to air as part of Comic Relief’s
“Red Nose Day Special” on NBC on
May 24. Cast members revisiting
their roles from the romantic
comedy include Hugh Grant, Keira
Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, Colin
Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy and
Rowan Atkinson. (AP)

HHHHH
Kate Muir, THE TIMES

“A ROMANCE FOR THE AGES.”
Kate Erbland, INDIEWIRE

“A FILM ABOUT THE POWER
OF BEING UNITED
seems utterly valuable right now.”
Oliver Lyttelton, THE PLAYLIST

SUMMARY: Newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr. plays
(and looks uncannily like) the late rapper Tupac
Shakur in this biopic. In the teaser, his mother,
Afeni (Danai Gurira), gives advice in voice-over as
we see Shakur’s rise to fame, his run-ins with the
police and a suggestion of his untimely, too-young
end. KRISTEN PAGE-KIRBY (EXPRESS)

SUMMARY: In a movie that’s sure to give anyone
who writes about it apostrophe-induced anxiety
attacks, “Girls Trip” follows four friends (Jada
Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Regina Hall and
Tiffany Haddish) as they head to New Orleans for a
sedate, antiques-based vacation. Just kidding: They
get really drunk and have a lot of sex. K.P.K.

“Don’t tell me something is
impossible, if my dude can
grab a second date with Genie
Bouchard off a Hail Mary bet.
Anything is possible.”

Sterling is very pleasant,
always has a smile on
his face, and has words
of encouragement for
riders daily. He is a
special gentleman and
has been a blessing to
my commute.

@DKELLY94 tweeting about tennis star Genie Bouchard, who made
good on her promise after losing a Twitter bet on the Super Bowl and
went on a date Wednesday night with 20-year-old fan John Goehrke.
They went to a Brooklyn Nets game and afterward Bouchard told TMZ
that he was “normal,” and there would “for sure” be a second date.

— Glenmont Metro rider

XX 0216 2x5

To recognize an outstanding distributor,
please email circulation@readexpress.com.
Please include your name, city and Metro station.

“Apparently I’ve
been shopping in all the
wrong places for drugs,
and all the right
places for candy.”

It’s OK
to be nosy.

@ROYKESEY tweeting after
President Trump said during his
Thursday news conference that
our country is “drug-infested,” and
that “drugs are becoming cheaper
than candy bars.” His statement led
some, such as Twitter user
@anchorlines, to ask, “How
much does Trump think
a candy bar costs?”

@SCENE VIA TWITTER

Sterling

blog
log
★
✪
R

R
TO

STAR DISTRIBUTOR

STA

28 | EXPRESS | 02.17.2017 | WEEKEND

“This happens too often. If you
... can’t stay in a committed
relationship then end it.”
@VIII_III_XCIII tweeting about the popular video The Scene posted

on Twitter on Valentine’s Day, featuring a former couple having an
emotional conversation about why their relationship fell apart. The
boyfriend admitted to cheating on the young woman more times
than he could remember, because he “wasn’t counting.” Internet
viewers dubbed the girlfriend “HurtBae,” and rallied in support of her.

people

Big-name sightings, breakups
and makeups.

“The property manager
keeps the heat so high in
my apartment that my
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
melted in the cupboard.”
@4EVERSINCELUNCH sharing a

XX1236_2x5.5

Only in

problem with Twitter user
@Mickey_McCauley after he
asked people to tweet him their
“insignificant grievances.” The post
received more than 600 responses
as people shared problems like their
dogs refusing to cuddle.

“I didn’t know people
who didn’t like these
cookies even existed.
I’m in shock.”
@G0LDENRUBB3RS tweeting
about the polarizing sugar cookies
that are soft with a thick layer of
icing on top. Twitter user @taysux
tweeted about the cookies Sunday,
calling them “bottom of the barrel.”
The tweet went viral and has been
retweeted more than 17,000 times
as people have weighed in.

WEEKEND | 02.17.2017 | EXPRESS | 29

fun+games
Horoscopes

Scrabble Grams

PAR SCORE 150-160, BEST SCORE 232

Sudoku

DIFFICULT

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You
mustn’t let yourself be restricted by
someone who is new to being the
boss. He or she can learn from you,
not vice versa.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Tread
very lightly when asked to explore a
certain situation. You don’t want to
put yourself in a dangerous position.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) You
will want to take someone’s side —
as quickly as possible — when you
realize he or she is being wrongly
singled out.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Don’t
turn a blind eye to that which is
attracting everyone’s attention. You
are likely to find it is worth a much
closer look.

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) What

comes most naturally to you may
not be the best thing to do under
current circumstances. Trust a friend
to give you other options.

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Though you may have been given
license to do something others are
not allowed to do, be careful not to
take things too far.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) You’re
eager to see things develop more
quickly, and you’re wondering if
there’s something you can do to
make that happen. There is.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Having
accepted an invitation, you may
realize that following through will
require a sacrifice you’re not willing
to make.

FOUR RACK TOTAL
Make a 2-7-letter word from the letters in each
row. Add points of each word using scoring
directions at right. Seven-letter words get a
50-point bonus. Blank tiles used as any letter
have no point value. Scrabble is a trademark of
Hasbro in the U.S. and Canada.

Comics
POOCH CAFE | PAUL GILLIGAN

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You’re after a deeper connection
with a certain someone, but you
may be prevented from reaching out
because of a prior commitment.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Trial and error can teach you what
you need to know, but you must be
prepared to clean up a bit of a mess
when all is said and done.

DAILY CODE

LJ

Today
in History
1815: The United States
and Britain exchange the
instruments of ratification
for the Treaty of Ghent,
ending the War of 1812.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) To get
the change you want, you will have
to make it happen yourself. Today
is the day to make a start. But you
needn’t explain yourself to others
just yet.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Are
you ready to give up something
valuable for something even more
valuable? Any way you look at it, this
trade will be more than fair.

Need more
Sudoku?
Find another
puzzle in the
Comics section
of The Post every
Sunday and in
the Style section
Monday through
Saturday.

1897: The forerunner of the
National PTA, the National
Congress of Mothers,
convenes its first meeting in
Washington.

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE | STEPHAN PASTIS

1972: President Richard M.
Nixon departs the White
House with his wife, Pat, on
a historic trip to China.
1986: Johnson & Johnson
announces it will no longer sell
over-the-counter medications
in capsule form, following the
death of a woman who had
taken a cyanide-laced Tylenol
capsule.
1996: World chess champion
Garry Kasparov beats IBM
supercomputer “Deep Blue,”
winning a six-game match in
Philadelphia. (Kasparov loses
to Deep Blue in a rematch in
1997.)

“Kevin Can Wait”
network
Hoard
Hardcover book
part
The grampus, e.g.
Capital of
Vietnam
Second-largest
Great Lake
Thick, slimy
substance
Transmitting
nerve-cell
extensions
What to leave
well enough?
Incising, as on a
gunslinger’s belt
Make corrections
to
“Hasta luego”
Handel work
A primary color
Accepted
principles of right
and wrong
It seeks
intelligence
Pays to a church
Plank of wood
Like some winds

Fill in each column, row and 3x3 box with the digits
1 through 9 without repeating any. The twist in
Samurai Sudoku is that the digits that appear in
the overlapping boxes must work for both puzzles.
A piece of advice to get you started: Don’t focus
on completing one grid at a time. Keep the whole
puzzle in mind as you go, because filling in a number
in one grid could give you clues to another.

TODAY: The winds are minimal
for a change. Sunshine remains in
abundance, but occasional clouds
zip across the sky in the afternoon.
Temperatures warm markedly with
highs reaching the upper 40s. A calm,
mainly clear night can be expected.

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

65 | 36

65 | 47

MONDAY

TUESDAY

61 | 43

56 | 40

Get more news and forecasts at
washingtonpost.com/weather or
follow @capitalweather on Twitter.

WEEKEND | 02.17.2017 | EXPRESS | 31

people
GETTY IMAGES

No one here
is getting
reimbursed
Emma Watson
appeared in a social
experiment this week
conducted by writer
Derek Blasberg.
According to People
magazine, Blasberg
carried a makeshift
advice booth around
New York’s Grand
Central Terminal on
Valentine’s Day. For $2,
patrons could ask for
advice from Watson,
who appeared via an
iPad screen. The point
of the experiment was
not clear. (EXPRESS)

FRIENDS

Another ‘Odd Couple’
reboot coming already?
Whoopi Goldberg came to
Tiffany Trump’s defense after
reports that New York Fashion
Week attendees changed seats
to avoid sitting next to the first
daughter. “Tiffany, I’m supposed
to go to a couple more shows,”
Goldberg said on Wednesday’s
“The View.” “I’m coming to sit
with you.” Trump thanked the
host on Twitter. (EXPRESS)

GETTY IMAGES

INSURANCE CLAIMS

FEUDS

They’re set to star in the
new show ‘Awkward!
With Regis and Kelly’
In a new interview, Regis Philbin
said he hasn’t kept in touch with
his former co-host Kelly Ripa
since he left “Live! With Regis
and Kelly” in 2011. “She got very
offended when I left,” Philbin
said in an interview with “Larry
King Now” shared Wednesday.
“She thought I was leaving
because of her. I was leaving
because I was getting older.” (AP)

verbatim

GETTY IMAGES

VACATIONS

EYEWEAR

Justin was correcting a
crime against fashion
A man filed a report with
Cleveland police Tuesday saying
Justin Bieber assaulted him eight
months ago. Rodney Cannon
claims that Bieber took Cannon’s
sunglasses inside a hotel on June
8. He says in the report that
Bieber and possibly a bodyguard
punched him, and that he
wrestled Bieber to the ground to
restrain him. (AP)

Gossip writers
took off that week
Nicole Kidman revealed this week that she was once engaged to Lenny Kravitz. In an interview with Net-a-Porter’s
magazine, The Edit, Kidman described working with Zoe
Kravitz on their HBO series “Big Little Lies.” “Well, I knew
Zoe because I was engaged to her father,” Kidman said.
“It’s all in the family!” Kidman had told Vanity Fair in 2007
that she had gotten engaged between her 2001 divorce from
Tom Cruise and her 2006 marriage to Keith Urban. “It just
wasn’t right. I wasn’t ready. We weren’t ready,” she told
Vanity Fair at the time. (EXPRESS)